Music festival manager ‘one of the lucky few’

One of the lucky few who have managed to build a career out of their passion for music, John Giddings, is Portsmouth Business School’s guest speaker at its open evening on February 12.

John is managing director of Solo, which has staged the Isle of Wight Festival for the past decade.

He will discuss how hard work, a passion for music and a little bit of luck helped him build his career promoting musicians including the Rolling Stones, R.E.M., Kasabian and Snow Patrol, and culminated in him running the Isle of Wight Festival. ‌

John said: “I was one of the lucky few who knew at the age of 18 what I wanted to do with my life, but I wasn’t sure then how to make it happen.

“I have been fortunate enough to do what I love and to make a career out of it and I’m more than happy to share some of the things I learned about making the most of opportunities you are given.”

John will also talk about the problems that plagued the festival last year, and how he dealt with upset festival-goers and the media throughout a tense week of rain, rain and more rain.